The 24-year-old musician
is not happy with his "AI" producer.Getty Images Entertainment

Not every "American Idol" winner walks away happily ever after.

Deadline reports Phillip Phillips, the
24-year-old Season 11 winner of the popular talent competition on
Fox, filed a complaint with the California Labor Producers on
Monday against one of the show's producers, 19 Entertainment.

In the complaint (which you can read in full here), Phillips claims 19
Entertainment violated California's Talent Agency Act by
withholding information from him, failing to pay him for
performances and appearances, and making artistic decisions
without his approval.

For instance, Phillips says he didn't get to choose the
title of his last album, "Behind the Light," he was forced
to perform for an "Idol" sponsor for free, and 19
Entertainment gets up to a 40% cut of his endorsement deals.

“Phillip appreciates the opportunity provided to him
byAmerican Idoland always
expected the producers to share the rewards of his subsequent
success. However, he never anticipated that the producers would
favor their own interests above his career or commit egregious
violations of the California’s Talent Agencies Act. Thankfully,
California has a long history of protecting artists from being
victimized by people illegally operating as de facto talent
agencies.”

Mat Hayward/Getty Images

But ABC News reports Phillips is going ahead
and suing, as he feels he has been manipulated. He told ABC in a
statement:

"I am very grateful for the opportunities provided to me
through appearing on American Idol ... The value that the fans
and the show have given to my career is not lost on me. However,
I have not felt that I have been free to conduct my career in a
way that I am comfortable with. I look forward to being able to
make my own choices about my career and to being able to make
great music and play it for my fans."

At the end of his petition, Phillips asks a judge to rule
that 19 Entertainment broke the Talent Agencies Act, declare his
contract illegal and pay Phillips any earnings he could have made
were his contract different, among other damages.

A spokesperson for 19
told THR that the Simon
Fuller-founded production company would fight Phillips'
petition.